#Guess What? I'm Not a Robot Ch26

[theshapeshifter100]

Guess What? I’m Not a Robot Ch26

Summary: Capital Park happens and more protests begin.

Chapter Warnings: Loss of temper, implied nightmares. (So pretty tame compared to everything else)

Word Count: 1,610

2.30AM Tuesday 9th November 2038

Paul hadn’t moved from the living area, nor had he turned off the tv all night. He watched it near religiously, waiting for any more signs of this Markus or change in the media. So far, no change either way.

Megan’s door creaked open and she stumbled out in her pyjamas. Her hair was a bed tousled mess and her pyjamas were rumpled, yet it appeared she hadn’t actually slept.

“Are you okay?” Paul asked, and Megan shrugged.

“Can’t sleep,” she said, retrieving her coat. “All I can see is that burning android, or you being taken away by police and...” Megan couldn’t continue, but she didn’t need to.

“There’s been reports of more people burning androids all day,” Paul said miserably. “Protests across Detroit. No idea if for or against androids, but...” Paul shrugged helplessly. “What are you doing?”

“Going to the roof,” Megan responded, putting her coat on.

“It is literally freezing outside,” Paul warned.

“I’ll be fine. I just need to think,” Megan turned to go back to her bedroom, and Paul resisted the urge to make her take the stairs.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright? The metal is slippery in the snow.”

“I won’t go on the railing,” Megan promised. “My balance is good, but you’re right. It’s dangerous this time of year.”

With that she left the room and Paul settled back into the couch. He was watching one of those 24 hour news channels, which didn’t really have anything interesting.

He slipped into a daze, thinking about what that police officer said. That if things escalate CyberLife will have a product recall. He shuddered. He didn’t remember CyberLife, he wasn’t online until he reached the stores. If there was a massive product recall, best case scenario was mass reprogramming, worst case, mass destruction. Neither of these scenarios Paul wanted.

Megan would try and protect him, he didn’t doubt that, but there was only so much she could do. There were other ways to tell if someone was an android.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by the news channel suddenly erupting. Just like before he began to flick through channels to see if he could get a different perspective. This time though he had to stand up and physically change the channel, so stood right in front of the tv.

“We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news.”

“This just in: at exactly 2AM several CyberLife stores in Detroit were raided.”

“Different locations were hit in what seems to be a co-ordinated terrorist attack and we’re getting more information as it comes in.”

“Most shop windows were covered in graffiti demanding rights for androids and other obscure slogans.”

“Police report that pro-android graffiti was found in the neighbourhoods of CyberLife’s stores and they’re still investigating.”

“We’re getting reports that two policemen were found in a state of shock near one of the CyberLife stores,”

“According to our sources, they confirm that the attackers were a group of androids,”

“This is an alarming situation. Could our machines now be turning against us?”

“Have androids become a threat to our security?”

“Is this the beginning of a terrorist campaign, conducted right here in the United States?

Paul turned off the tv in disgust. Terrorist campaign? Seriously? They broke some shop windows and left graffiti and left two police officers alive. That wasn’t a terrorist campaign. People die in terrorist campaigns!

He wanted to share this Megan, but he had noticed that the last few times he’d lost his temper, Megan had appeared afraid. It made something in his chest ache. He didn’t want Megan to be afraid of him, it’s just, this whole thing just made him so angry! More angry than he’d ever been!

He began to pace. This wasn’t fair! There were millions of androids, and when a few stand up for themselves every single android is branded as violent and dangerous. Admittedly, he knew that this had happened before throughout human history, since humans never seem to learn. That didn’t make it any better though.

He paced around the darkened apartment, trying to calm himself down before talking to Megan. Once he felt like he was calm enough, he grabbed a pair of keys and went up the stairs to the roof.

Megan was still up there, sitting on her coat and wrapped in her duvet against the cold. Paul silently went over and sat down next to her.

“Needed to think too?” Megan asked, and Paul shrugged.

“Kind of,” he followed Megan’s gaze to the horizon. “News just in. There were a bunch of break ins at the CyberLife stores in Detroit. A lot of graffiti in Capitol Park and a couple of scared cops. News declaring at as a ‘terrorist attack’,” Paul used inverted commas there and Megan shook her head.

“Fucking idiots. No one’s hurt or dead. Only weapons that sound like they might have been used is whatever they used to break in. That’s not a terrorist attack, that’s civil unrest.”

“Thank you,” Paul breathed, glad that Megan saw that as well.

“Sounds like Capitol Park is a good place to protest tomorrow,” Megan added. “Get there nice and early, establish ourselves.”

Paul nodded. “Agreed,” he remembered the potential recall, but decided not to mention it. Megan clearly had enough problems sleeping. He didn’t need to add to it. “I’ll let the others know.”

He sent a message out, and to his surprise, someone responded quickly.

Rainbow3: Do you sleep?

Beep Boop: Sometimes. What about you?

Rainbow3: I’m catching up on an essay. What’s your excuse?

Beep Boop: @Nervousness Incarnate and I can’t sleep. Not after that android. Did the police come to yours yesterday?

Rainbow3: Yeah, seems like they’re doing the rounds. Might get worse after what you mentioned.

Beep Boop: Yes, it might. Up for it?

Rainbow3: Sure

Poison Oak: Good, now can you two go to sleep!?

Rainbow3: Okay okay

Maggie and Ivy went offline, and Paul closed the app, letting the translucent window disappear.

“Most people should be there tomorrow,” Paul reported back, and Megan nodded.

“Okay, better brace myself then,” she declared.

“And actually sleeping would help,” Paul intoned.

“I’ll try, but no promises,” the smirk was clear in Megan’s voice as she stood up, duvet around her like a cloak.

“Also, we’re taking the stairs,” Paul decided, “that’s one hell of risk if you go down the fire escape like that.”

“Okay dad,” Megan yawned, and Paul stopped and looked at her oddly.

“...dad?”

“I was joking. You’re more like a protective brother to be honest,” Megan yawned again. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Agreed.”

 9AM Tuesday 9th November 2038

Nearly everyone was yawning as they set up in Capitol Park. The news last night and the burning android had unsettled them, but they were still going. Julia and Oscar couldn’t make it that, for work and football practice respectively. However that was mitigated by the number of people that Alex and Allison had recruited.

There was about thirty of them now, all with cardboard and electronic signs. Since the plan was to be there all day, people had brought drinks, food, chairs, blankets, heat packs, batteries and even spare winter clothing.

The mood was muted, but hopeful as they saw the graffiti from last night was still there.

Alex stood at the front, facing the crowd.

“Loving the turnout today! Remember, we’re here all day, and we’re all friends. Don’t be afraid to ask for water if you need it. We’ll take rotated breaks for lunch from midday until two, and we’ll stay until it gets dark. If you need to leave early, that’s fine. Like I said, we’re all friends here!” Alex picked up their banner with Allison, which had been redecorated with triangles in a variety of colours. “Let’s get started!”

The entire crowd began to chant. It got off to a rough start due to embarrassment and not being co-ordinated. Although they quickly got together and were chanting loudly and in time with both Alex and Nathan’s rhythm, since he had brought the keyboard again.

Paul had Megan on his shoulders again, and he couldn’t help but look around. He got the feeling that there was at least one more android in the group. After a scan around he found them. A WR600 he guessed, as they weren’t in uniform and were wearing a hat. However, given how stiffly he was standing and how robotically he was chanting, it was clear he wasn’t deviant.

Paul managed to catch their eye, and smile at them, hoping to make them think. The WR600 didn’t change expression, but did stare at him for a few seconds before facing forward again. It was a start.

More people arrived as the hours wore on, and Megan took breaks from sitting on Paul’s shoulders. It got surprisingly uncomfortable after a while.

Around half one someone offered him a sandwich.

“No thanks, I’m good,” he assured.

“Are you sure? You’ve been doing this all day, don’t you want a break?”

“I’ll have a break,” Paul conceded, even if he didn’t need one. “But Megan’s been giving me snacks all morning. I’m not hungry.”

“Alright,” they shrugged. “I’ll see if anyone else wants it.”

Paul sat down on one of the blankets and folded his legs to people watch. Random people seemed to be joining now, swelling the ranks to at least forty, and so far, no negative push back. Even the press they had attracted seemed more curious than judgemental as they interviewed people. Fate appeared to have smiled upon them. Although there were still several hours to go, anything could happen.

More protesting! Seems to be going a lot better than last time though. Maybe it'll stay that way... People who know the game timeline know how that will go down.

Other Options Flowchart

(Paul) Suggest Megan takes the stairs. Insist.

(Paul) Take the fire escape

(Megan) Sarcastic response.

(Megan) Say nothing (Paul would suggest Capital Park protest)

Tags! @nightmarejim @septicart-appreciation